Improved self-esteem fuels Utes

October 09, 2012|Reuters

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It is frustrating. I'm not going to lie because our offense is equipped with all kinds of weapons. We've got great players and playmakers. We've got great leaders. We've just got to make sure we put our game together." -- Utah WR Dres Anderson, on the offense's 299.4 yards-per-game average that ranks last in the Pac-12.

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NCAAF Team Report - Utah - STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

THIS WEEK'S GAME: Utah at UCLA, Oct. 13 -- The Utes entered last season's game against UCLA on a two-game winning streak and thumped the Bruins 31-6 in Salt Lake City. Utah has won the last two games in the series because its physical style of play has been able to disrupt the timing of the finesse Bruins. The Utes will test their strategy against new UCLA coach Jim Mora, Jr., who seemingly has the Bruins playing with a more physical attitude.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Utes need to establish the run against a UCLA defense that knows the Utes want to establish the run. The visitors will need to add a wrinkle, whether it's greater use of freshman QB Travis Wilson, trick plays or misdirection plays to get the Bruins from stacking the line of scrimmage. That will allow a rested defense to put pressure on UCLA's passing game and potentially force turnovers.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

TE Jake Murphy -- The sophomore is tied for the team lead with 14 receptions, fourth in yards with 132 and second in TDs with two. Because Jon Hays isn't the gunslinger that Jordan Wynn was, the Utah coaching staff has to figure out how to improve his intermediate game, making Murphy's presence more important. With less of a home-run threat, the Utes have to sustain drives, and Murphy creates third-down mismatches that can move the chains.

QB Travis Wilson -- Wilson impressed the coaching staff by leading the Utes for a TD on their final possession in the loss against USC. He went 4-of-6 for 49 yards during the 11-play drive, and coach Kyle Whittingham said Wilson's role will increase throughout the season. "I thought he did a nice job of moving the team on that last drive (against USC)," Whittingham told the Deseret News. "In hindsight, we probably should have put him in sooner. We think he's on track to be a very good quarterback."

OLB Trevor Reilly -- Reilly looms as the most likely player to take advantage of any double-teams UCLA might try against DT Star Lotulelei. Reilly has speed off the edge that can disrupt the backfield if the Bruins are too worried about Lotulelei's penetration. One area in which the Utes have not taken full advantage is getting someone else to come free with the opposition focusing so much on Lotulelei.

ROSTER REPORT:

--OG Vyncent Jones, who missed the game against USC, still has not recovered from his knee injury and will miss the UCLA game as well.

--Coach Kyle Whittingham announced that sophomore backup CB Wykie Freeman, who left the Arizona State game with a leg injury, had surgery and is out for the remainder of the season.

--True freshman OL Kala Friel had his redshirt removed last weekend, as he played on special teams, but expect the Utah coaches to give him a chance to earn some playing time on the line to help iron out the inconsistent play there this season.